TV actress raped by 2 Karnataka producers

BENGALURU: A Hindi television actress, who had come to Bengaluru hoping to make it big in the southern film industry, was allegedly raped by two well-known producers of Kannada and Telugu movies.

The duo even recorded the incident and threatened to upload the video on the Internet if she complained to the police. The victim, who mustered courage two months after the alleged rape, approached the Karnataka State Commission for Women seeking justice.

The panel has transferred the case to the Bengaluru police for a detailed probe. The incident has sent shockwaves across the Kannada film fraternity.

The Bengaluru police have formed a special squad which is on the lookout for the two film producers, who are on the run ever since the incident came to light.

According to police, the budding actress from Mumbai’s Andheri West area had met a film producer in Mumbai two months ago. He, in turn, introduced the girl to prominent film producers from Bengaluru. The two accused producers had produced movies in Kannada and Telugu and also acted in a few movies.

They allegedly promised her plum roles opposite top stars in south movies and asked her to visit Bengaluru for an audition. “They booked her flight ticket for March 27 this year.

She was received at the airport and put up at a hotel. However, the duo could not arrange any audition for the actress. She wanted to return to Mumbai, but they handed her a cheque of Rs 1 lakh on March 30 and told her it was advance fee for a movie,” a police source said.

That night, they dropped her at the hotel and the duo insisted on having dinner with her. “They gave me a glass of juice and I passed out. I woke up the next morning and found the duo in my bed. I was shocked and I confronted them. They claimed that casting couch was common in the film industry,” the actress said in her complaint. When she threatened to approach the police, the duo showed her a video clip of the alleged rape and threatened her to maintain silence. “It was her advocate friend in Mumbai who motivated her to seek justice. We know the producers. They have absconded. We have launched an extensive search operation,” the police added. Reproduced From Mail Today. Copyright 2015. MTNPL. All rights reserved.